Self-Launched Southern Africa Safari: Kruger, Victoria Falls, Hwange & Chobe
14 days · South Africa, Zimbabwe & Botswana
G Adventures charges £3,550
No-markup version: ~£1,985 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of G Adventures' 14-day Southern Africa safari (trip DSJB), rebuilt using public transport, hostel/guesthouse stays, and self-bookable safari drives. Start with a night in Johannesburg, then take the budget-friendly City Bug/Greyhound-style coach or the shuttle van route to the Greater Kruger area for four nights of Big Five game drives in an open 4x4. Loop back through Chimp Eden near Nelspruit, fly Johannesburg–Victoria Falls on a low-cost carrier, then use shared shuttles and overland buses to link Victoria Falls, Hwange and Chobe — finishing with a sunset cruise on the Chobe River. Everything here is approximate and bookable independently.
Day-by-day
Arrive Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Land at OR Tambo and take the Gautrain or an airport shuttle to a hostel in Maboneng or Melville (the Gautrain Sandton–Park Station leg is ~£3, then a short Uber ~£4). Settle in, then walk the Maboneng precinct for street food and a craft beer. Optional: the Apartheid Museum (R180, ~£8) if you land early — it closes around 5pm.
🚌Gautrain + Uber from OR Tambo (~£7)
🛏Hostel dorm or private room, Maboneng/Melville (~£15-22)
- →Maboneng street-food walk (free)
- →Apartheid Museum (optional, ~£8)
Johannesburg to Greater Kruger / Hazyview
Hazyview / Greater Kruger, South Africa
Book a coach or shared shuttle in advance — City Bug/Greyhound-style coaches run Johannesburg–Nelspruit (Mbombela) in about 5-6 hours for roughly £20-28 one way. From Nelspruit take a local minibus taxi or pre-booked guesthouse transfer to Hazyview (~£8-12). Check into a Kruger-area backpackers or guesthouse, buy a few supplies and sort your self-drive or guided-drive bookings for the next three days.
🚌Intercity coach Johannesburg–Nelspruit (~£24) + minibus/transfer to Hazyview (~£10)
🛏Backpackers dorm or rondavel, Hazyview (~£12-18)
- →Scenic drive through Mpumalanga escarpment
- →Book Kruger drives at the hostel
Kruger National Park — full-day open-vehicle safari
Kruger National Park
Self-launched equivalent of the operator's included safari drives: pre-book a shared full-day open 4x4 game drive through a Hazyview backpackers or SANParks-accredited operator — typically £70-95 per person including park entry, or hire the whole vehicle and split it with hostel-mates. Alternatively self-drive in your own car using the daily conservation fee (R110/~£5 per person) and a hired car (~£30/day split between four). Come back for a braai at the hostel — buy meat and wood from the Hazyview Spar for about £6.
🚌Shared safari vehicle (included in activity)
🛏Backpackers dorm or rondavel, Hazyview (~£12-18)
- →Full-day open 4x4 game drive in Kruger (~£80)
- →DIY braai dinner at hostel
Kruger — Sabie/Phabeni gate Big Five day
Kruger National Park
Take the Sabie or Phabeni gate for a full day in the southern central section where Big Five sightings are most common. Book a guided shared drive again (~£80) or self-drive the tarred loop roads. Pack a picnic — the park's day-visitor areas (Skukuza, Lower Sabie) have cheap shop food and water points. Aim to be in the park at gate opening (roughly 05:30-06:00 depending on season) — that's when the cats move.
🚌Shared safari vehicle (included in activity)
🛏Backpackers dorm or rondavel, Hazyview (~£12-18)
- →Big Five game drive, Sabie/Phabeni gate (~£80)
- →Scenic picnic stops at Skukuza/Lower Sabie
Free day — Panorama Route or another safari
Hazyview / Blyde River Canyon
Choose your own alternative to the operator's free day. Most backpackers run a Panorama Route shared day tour (Blyde River Canyon, Bourke's Luck Potholes, God's Window) for about £45-60 including some entrance fees — bookable direct with the hostel or on GetYourGuide/Klook. Prefer more wildlife? Take a morning safari drive (~£55) and spend the afternoon at the hostel pool.
🚌Shared tour vehicle (included in activity)
🛏Backpackers dorm or rondavel, Hazyview (~£12-18)
- →Panorama Route day tour including God's Window and Bourke's Luck Potholes (~£55)
- →OR morning half-day Kruger drive (~£55)
Chimp Eden & back to Johannesburg
Umhloti Nature Reserve / Johannesburg
Match the operator's Day 7: book a guided tour at the Jane Goodall Institute Chimp Eden near Nelspruit (entry + guided tour roughly R320/~£14; phone or email in advance and take a minibus taxi or shuttle from Nelspruit). Then take an afternoon coach back to Johannesburg (~£24) and check into a hostel in Maboneng or Braamfontein.
🚌Shuttle/minibus to Chimp Eden (~£8) + coach Nelspruit–Johannesburg (~£24)
🛏Hostel dorm or private room, Johannesburg (~£15-22)
- →Chimp Eden guided tour (~£14)
- →Evening in Maboneng or Braamfontein
Fly Johannesburg to Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Book a low-cost seat in advance — Fastjet and Air Zimbabwe fly Johannesburg–Victoria Falls for roughly £90-140 one way; check Airlink via Johannesburg too. Sort your Zimbabwe visa on arrival (most nationalities US$30-55) and get a KAZA uni-visa if you plan to re-enter Zambia/Zimbabwe (US$50). Pick up a dorm or guesthouse room a short walk from the falls (from £10-18) and take a free walk to the falls entrance for sunset.
🚌Flight Johannesburg–Victoria Falls (~£115)
🛏Backpackers/guesthouse, Victoria Falls town (~£15)
- →Sunset walk to the falls area
- →Sort KAZA visa and activity bookings
Victoria Falls — full day at the falls
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Buy your own Victoria Falls National Park entry (US$50, ~£40) and walk all 16 viewpoints — allocate 3-4 hours and expect to get very wet. In the afternoon explore the craft market and the Victoria Falls Hotel for a cheap drink with a view. Optional self-bookable add-ons: Zambezi whitewater rafting (~£120-130), bungee bridge jump (~£95), or a 15-minute helicopter flip from ~£130 via GetYourGuide/Klook — book direct with operators in town for the best price.
🚌Walking in town
🛏Backpackers/guesthouse, Victoria Falls town (~£15)
- →Victoria Falls National Park entry (~£40)
- →Optional: rafting (~£125), bungee (~£95) or helicopter (~£130)
Victoria Falls — cultural dinner and theatre
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Recreate the operator's Lusumpuko Women's Club and Simunye moments independently: many Victoria Falls hostels arrange community dinners (~£15-20) and the Simunye Theatre show at the Victoria Falls Theatre runs most evenings for around US$20-30 (~£18-24) — book direct or through your guesthouse. Daytime is free for the market, a bike hire loop (~£6) or the croc farm.
🚌Walking / local taxi (~£3)
🛏Backpackers/guesthouse, Victoria Falls town (~£15)
- →Community women's-club dinner (~£18)
- →Simunye Theatre Show (~£20)
- →Market browsing
Victoria Falls to Hwange National Park (via Painted Dog Centre)
Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
Take a shared shuttle or overland coach Victoria Falls–Hwange (roughly £15-25, 2.5-3 hours), stopping at the Painted Dog Conservation Centre near Dete for a tour (entry ~US$10-15, ~£10) — ask your shuttle driver to stop or arrange it with the guesthouse. Stay in a Hwange-area guesthouse or the park's self-catering rest camp (Sinamatella/Main Camp ~£15-30) rather than the operator's lodge.
🚌Shared shuttle Victoria Falls–Hwange (~£20)
🛏Hwange guesthouse or SANParks self-catering rest camp (~£25)
- →Painted Dog Conservation Centre tour (~£10)
- →Optional night drive at Hwange (~£55)
Hwange — morning and afternoon game drives
Hwange National Park
Book a shared morning game drive through your lodge or a local Hwange operator — roughly US$60-80 per person, often cheaper when you join a group (the operator's optional drive is priced at US$80, so budget ~£60). Hwange has one of Africa's biggest elephant populations and over 100 mammal species; waterholes at Nyamandlovu pan are the classic stop. Rest through the hot middle of the day, then an optional afternoon or night drive.
🚌Park safari vehicle (included in activity)
🛏Hwange guesthouse or SANParks rest camp (~£25)
- →Morning game drive (~£60)
- →Optional afternoon/night drive (~£50)
Hwange to Kasane via Victoria Falls
Kasane / Chobe, Botswana
Shuttle back to Victoria Falls in the morning (~£20) for a quick lunch, then take the border-crossing shared shuttle or combi Victoria Falls–Kasane (roughly £15-25, 1.5-2 hours including immigration at Kazungula). Pay the Botswana tourism levy (~US$30, £24) at the border. Settle into a Kasane backpackers or campsite (from £12) and pay the Chobe River sunset cruise (~US$40-50, £35) — the daily cruise is the single best-value wildlife outing on this stretch.
🚌Hwange–Victoria Falls shuttle (~£20) + Victoria Falls–Kasane shuttle (~£20)
🛏Kasane backpackers or campsite (~£15)
- →Border crossing at Kazungula
- →Chobe River sunset cruise (~£35)
Chobe National Park — full day safari
Chobe National Park, Botswana
Self-book a combined morning game drive plus afternoon boat safari in Chobe, which is far more affordable than the operator's package — expect US$70-110 (~£60-90) for the full day through a Kasane operator or GetYourGuide. Chobe has the highest elephant concentration on Earth; the boat section along the Chobe River also gives you hippo, crocodile and huge birdlife. Bring your own lunch from the supermarket to avoid lodge prices.
🚌Shared safari vehicle and boat (included in activity)
🛏Kasane backpackers or campsite (~£15)
- →Full-day Chobe game drive + river cruise (~£75)
- →Elephant and birdlife viewing
Depart Kasane
Kasane, Botswana
Final morning for a walk along the riverfront (no entry fee needed to watch elephants from the bank at sunrise). Then take a shared shuttle or 4x4 transfer across to Victoria Falls airport (~£35, 1.5 hours) for onward flights. Kasane Airport has limited regional routes — a shared transfer back to Victoria Falls is the most reliable budget exit.
🚌Shared transfer Kasane–Victoria Falls airport (~£35)
🛏—
- →Sunrise riverfront walk (free)
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,985 | £3,550 |
| Duration | 14 days | 14 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,565 per person (44%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,985
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Southern Africa Safari: Kruger, Victoria Falls, Hwange & Chobe cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,985 per person for 14 days in South Africa, Zimbabwe & Botswana. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £3,550 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,985 — a saving of roughly £1,565 (44%) per person.
How long is the South Africa, Zimbabwe & Botswana trip?+
This itinerary runs 14 days, covering 14 day-by-day stops through South Africa, Zimbabwe & Botswana.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, wildlife, hiking trip through South Africa, Zimbabwe & Botswana, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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